Screen NSW Production Finance

Purpose and Program Overview

The Screen NSW Production Finance program supports the production or post-production of screen projects in New South Wales. Screen NSW, part of the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, administers it. It provides grant-based investment to feature films, television drama (including children’s drama), documentaries, documentary series, animation series and digital online interactive content.

The program’s objective is to maximise cultural and economic benefits to NSW by supporting local screen practitioners to create new intellectual property, build commercially sustainable businesses and grow the state’s screen sector. Funded projects are expected to generate employment and economic activity in NSW, contribute to Australian storytelling both nationally and internationally, and expand the scale and capability of NSW production companies.

Funding is provided as a cash-flowed grant rather than a loan, and the resulting equity remains with the producer. As a competitive, entitlement-free program, applications are assessed against published criteria within scheduled funding rounds rather than being approved automatically upon eligibility.

Key Grant Details

• Grant amount: $0 to $850,000 per project, calculated as a percentage of Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure (QNSWPE)
• Application dates (current round – R98): Opens 22 June 2026; closes 5 pm, 27 July 2026
• Eligible industries/business types: NSW-based and eligible interstate or non-NSW screen production companies working on features, TV drama, documentaries, documentary series, animation series and digital online interactive content
• Co-contribution required: Yes — projects must be fully financed at the time of application (excluding the Screen NSW contribution and any concurrent state or federal applications), and a minimum 10% budget contingency is generally required
• Location/state applicability: New South Wales; production or post-production activity must occur in NSW

Priority Sectors

The program does not restrict funding to specific commercial sectors but prioritises particular project formats and creative outcomes, namely:

• Feature films (fiction)
• Television drama and narrative comedy series, including children’s drama and miniseries
• Documentaries and documentary series (meeting ACMA’s documentary program definition)
• Animation series
• Creative interactive online screen content (digital series, interactive or XR content)

Screen NSW also maintains a diversity commitment, prioritising increased participation from First Nations people, residents of Regional NSW and Western Sydney, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people living with disability, and LGBTQIA+ people.

Funding Scope

Funding is calculated as a percentage of QNSWPE, capped at $850,000 per project:

Project TypeFunding Rate

Features Up to 10% of QNSWPE

One-off documentaries , Up to 10% of QNSWPE

Documentary series Up to 10% of QNSWPE

Digital online interactive Up to 10% of QNSWPE

TV drama (including children’s TV) Up to 5.5% of QNSWPE

Total production budgets must be under $20 million. Producers of high-end “footloose” drama and features budgeted between $5 million and $18 million are directed instead to the separate Made in NSW – TV Drama Fund, which offers up to 10% of QNSWPE, capped at $1 million.

Payments are typically staged: 60% on signing the funding agreement, 30% on Screen NSW’s approval of the rough cut, and 10% on delivery of all contracted materials. Applications are accepted across four scheduled rounds during the 2025–27 cycle, with outcomes generally advised within four weeks of the relevant assessment committee meeting.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet one of the following company/project structures:

• NSW-based companies: Actively operating in NSW for at least six months prior to applying, with at least 50% of the total production budget as QNSWPE
• Interstate companies: Eligible in a genuine co-production with an NSW company, or where the project is substantially driven by an NSW-based key creative, meeting the same 50% QNSWPE threshold
• Non-NSW companies: Eligible without a local partner where at least 80% of the total production budget is spent as QNSWPE

The 50%/80% spend thresholds do not apply where total QNSWPE is at least $5 million, where below-the-line NSW post-production spend is at least $3 million, or where 100% of post-production will occur in NSW with NSW-based personnel.

All applicants must also:

• Have a total production budget under $20 million
• Include at least one NSW-based key creative
• Comply with Screen NSW’s Terms of Trade
• Hold or share ownership/control of the rights necessary to produce, market and exploit the project
• Demonstrate Significant Australian Content or official treaty co-production status
• Be fully financed, excluding the requested Screen NSW contribution or pending state/federal funding
• Not have commenced official pre-production before the date of application (no retrospective funding)
• Hold appropriate marketplace commitments — features require a distribution strategy, while TV and documentary projects require a broadcaster or streamer attachment

Eligible Activities and Expenses

Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure (QNSWPE) generally covers:

• Payroll subject to NSW Payroll Tax (excluding payments to non-NSW residents)
• NSW workers’ compensation payments
• Payments to suppliers of goods and services with a principal place of business, office or branch in NSW
• Inbound interstate or international travel to a NSW destination (50% of return fares)
• Costs associated with non-NSW residents relocating to work on the production after two weeks in the state
• Inbound freight to a NSW destination
• Fringe Benefits Tax relating to benefits provided in NSW

QNSWPE excludes goods or services sourced from non-NSW suppliers, remuneration for non-NSW residents, and financing costs.

Assessment Process

The Production Finance program is competitive, not entitlement-based. Applications proceed through two stages:

1. Eligibility assessment — applications are checked against the published eligibility criteria; ineligible applications do not proceed further
2. Merit assessment — eligible applications are assessed by a Screen Investment Manager and the Screen Investment Committee, shortlisted, and then considered by the Screen and Digital Games Industries Advisory Committee before a funding recommendation is put to the Secretary of the Department (or delegate) for final approval

Applications are weighted against three criteria:

• Quality and feasibility of the project (70%) — creative quality, team track record, finance and production viability, audience strategy and marketplace commitment
• Alignment with Production Fund objectives (20%) — economic benefit to NSW, employment generation, cultural value, NSW-led IP and industry growth
• Contribution to diversity (10%) — on-screen representation and alignment with Screen NSW’s diversity priority areas

Recent Program Updates

Screen NSW operates the Production Finance program across four scheduled funding rounds for the 2025–27 cycle. The current round, R98, opened 22 June 2026 and closes at 5 pm on 27 July 2026, with assessment committee consideration expected in October 2026. Subsequent rounds are scheduled through to November 2026 (R99, closing 23 November 2026), with further rounds anticipated beyond. The current guidelines were last updated in June 2026, superseding earlier versions published in October 2024 and February 2025.

Application Tips

• Confirm eligibility against all applicant, project and spend-threshold criteria before drafting an application
• Discuss funding requests and QNSWPE calculations with a Screen NSW Investment Manager ahead of submission
• Prepare all required supporting documents in advance, including the finance plan, budget (with QNSWPE and QAPE shown separately), chain of title, marketplace/distribution agreements and key personnel CVs
• Ensure the finance plan demonstrates the project is fully financed, excluding the requested Screen NSW contribution
• Align the creative statement and production strategy with Screen NSW’s stated objectives, including diversity and cultural benefit to NSW
• Confirm marketplace commitments meet Screen Australia’s minimum thresholds before submission
• Submit applications via the SmartyGrants portal within the relevant round’s open dates, allowing time for internal review and sign-off

Where to Get Help

Consider consulting a grant specialist like Pattens Group for a personalised eligibility assessment and expert assistance in preparing a strong, compliant and competitive application. Contact us today and get connected with Australia’s best grant specialist, boasting over 35 years of experience in the industry and a 100% success rate. For official guidelines, application details, templates, and further information, visit the official Screen NSW website and other associated Australian government websites.